Inside The Bills

It happened on the first play from scrimmage for Thad Lewis. On a read option keeper following Fred Jackson through the hole, Lewis was broadsided by Saints LB David Hawthorne, who drove the crown of his helmet directly into Lewis right side, leaving Lewis on the turf with the wind knocked out of him.

Lewis never even saw who hit him.

“No, I didn’t and he got a good shot on me, hats off to him whoever that was, I don’t even know, but he got a good shot on me.”

At the same time he had no intention of leaving the game.

“No doubt in my mind I was getting back in the game,” said Lewis. “I was going to go back in the game. I just had to catch my breath. I got the wind knocked out of me a little bit. I was fine and I told the doctor, ‘I’m good so you don’t have to worry about me because I’m definitely going back in.’”

“It just shows toughness,” said Stevie Johnson. “He was tough, because I know he was hurting. Tashard, I know he was hurting out there. A lot of guys were hurting. It’s just tough and we’ve got to be able to overcome this stuff.”